I suck at aging

I’m currently visiting family in Ithaca, New York. I thought it would be a good idea to get some exercise while here. Normally I bike to work as part of my exercise, but not having that, I thought I would turn to skateboarding. It turns out that was a bad idea. I was pushing the board to get some speed and my Achilles/calf popped. There was no warning. One second I was riding, and the next my leg was hanging behind me with my foot at an odd angle.

A couple of the people there helped me get back to my car. I found I had enough mobility that I could drive. It was painful and weak, and probably a little unsafe, but I drove myself to the emergency room. My mother has a handicapped placard, so I was able to park right in front. I hobbled toward the entrance and a kind woman fetched me a wheelchair. A minute later, she was bringing in her husband in another wheelchair.

I checked into their triage and then admitted to a bed where they did a few tests on me. They put a splint on me, gave me crutches, and a referral to see an orthopedic surgeon. I hobbled to the car and made it home. The entire ordeal from leaving the house, driving to the skateboard park, to getting injured, to getting medical attention, to arriving home, took a total of 90 minutes. I find that kind of amazing.

It’s been a couple days since the injury. It’s not as painful as I thought it would be. I guess there aren’t that many nerves down there. Also, I think the Achilles is only partially torn. I don’t think I’ll need surgery. I’ve been doing some mobility-based rehab to keep the blood flow high, and working with a theraband makes it feel better.

While this isn’t any fun, I’ve had much worse injuries in my life. This is a painful reminder that I’m getting older, and I need to do a better job of taking care of this body.